Itanagar, Sep 21: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Itanagar on Monday to lay the foundation stone of two major hydroelectric projects. While the visit is officially aimed at promoting infrastructure development, political analysts and opposition leaders suggest it could also be seen in the context of the upcoming Assam Assembly elections.
Critics, including the Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), argued that repeated visits by the Prime Minister to the Northeast in recent weeks appear to serve as an indirect election campaign for the BJP rather than purely developmental purposes.
“The repeated visits of Prime Minister Modi to the North East are nothing but part of his election campaign trail. At a time when Assembly electioneering in Assam is heating up, his frequent appearances in the region expose BJP’s political agenda rather than any genuine concern for the people,” the APCC alleged.
It emphasized that the people of Arunachal Pradesh are keen to see completed projects inaugurated, rather than symbolic foundation stones laid, which do not always guarantee immediate construction or funding.
The opposition also called for the announcement of special economic packages exceeding Rs 50,000 crore to accelerate the state’s development and address strategic priorities, given Arunachal Pradesh’s location near international borders.
“The people of Arunachal Pradesh expect real development on the ground, not just political showpieces timed with elections,” APCC general secretary and spokesperson Kon Jirjo Jotham remarked.